Freed Indian doctor to leave Australia
Sunday, 29 July 2007
SYDNEY, Jul 28 (Reuters): An Indian doctor freed from jail after Australia dropped terrorism charges against him will be leaving Australia Saturday after receiving the go-ahead from immigration officials, his lawyer said.
Mohamed Haneef was released from prison Friday after Australian authorities abandoned the case against him, saying there was a lack of evidence to prove his connection with a failed car bomb plot in Britain.
Immigration Minister Kevin Andrews said Haneef, 27, would be allowed to leave Australia, but the government would not reinstate his work visa.
"We're stunned," Haneef's lawyer Stephen Keim told the news agency. "We can't understand how a man, who has been locked up in prison for nearly a month on groundless reasons, could continue to have his good name be smeared with this decision."
Keim said Haneef would be leaving for India later Saturday.
But his return home would not end the fight to clear his name, Keim said, adding that the legal team had submitted a court application to appeal against the immigration office's decision to revoke Haneef's work visa.
Mohamed Haneef was released from prison Friday after Australian authorities abandoned the case against him, saying there was a lack of evidence to prove his connection with a failed car bomb plot in Britain.
Immigration Minister Kevin Andrews said Haneef, 27, would be allowed to leave Australia, but the government would not reinstate his work visa.
"We're stunned," Haneef's lawyer Stephen Keim told the news agency. "We can't understand how a man, who has been locked up in prison for nearly a month on groundless reasons, could continue to have his good name be smeared with this decision."
Keim said Haneef would be leaving for India later Saturday.
But his return home would not end the fight to clear his name, Keim said, adding that the legal team had submitted a court application to appeal against the immigration office's decision to revoke Haneef's work visa.